Mnemosyne/ Μνημοσύνη (Roman equivalent: Moneta(0)) was a Titaness, goddess of Memory (1) and the inventor of Words (2).

Mnemosyne was also a goddess of time. She represented the rote memorisation required, before the introduction of writing, to preserve the stories of history and sagas of myth. She was the daughter of Uranus (Heaven) and Gaia (Earth).Uranus and Gaia were the parents of the first generation of Titans, consisting of twelve elder gods/goddesses, being Mnemosyne included among them.

After Zeus led the war against the Titans and established himself as the leader of the Olympians, he feared that, even though he might be immortal, his great victories and decisions might soon be forgotten.

Longing for a way to preserve the memory of his many great feats, he dressed as a shepherd and went to find Mnemosyne.

The account tells that Zeus and Mnemosyne slept together for nine consecutive nights, thus birthing the nine Muses(3).

The Muses were nine young, beautiful maidens who became the representatives of poetry, the arts, the sciences and sources of inspiration.

They were often depicted as accompanied by Apollo, who represented discipline and application of the arts. The Muses were: Calliope, epic or heroic poetry Clio, history Erato, love poetry and flute-playing Euterpe, lyric poetry and lyre-playing Melpomene, tragedy Polyhymnia, sacred music and dance Terpsichore, choral music and dance Thalia, comedy and idyllic poetry Urania, astronomy and cosmological poetry.

Mnemosyne’s name derives from Mene, Moon, and mosune, ‘wooden house’ or ‘tower’, so literally means ‘the House of the Moon’.

The goddess Mnemosyne is sometimes credited with being the first philosopher, as her gift was the power of reason.

She was given responsibility for the naming of all objects, and by doing so gave humans the means to dialog and to converse with each other.

The powers to place things in memory an that of remembrance were also attributed to this goddess.

The name Mnemosyne was also used for a river in the Underworld, Hades, which flowed parallel to the river of Lethe(4).

Lethe was one of the five rivers of the underworld of Hades, around the cave of Hypnos, the greek god of Sleep, and through the Underworld, where all those who drank from it experienced complete forgetfulness.

In chant XXXI of Dante’s “Divina Commedia”, at the very top of Purgatory, Dante is dipped into the River Lethe, which will cause amnesia. The chant of Asperges me (purge me) accompanies his immersion, and he then forgets his past sins and his atonement for them is complete.

Furthermore, the words Lethe or Elysium are often used as metaphors for the underworld or Hades in general.

Charonwas the ferryman of the dead, in the service of the underworld domains of Hades. He received the shades of the dead from Hermes, who gathered them from the upper world and guided them through the underworld. Charon transported them in his boat to a final resting place in Hades, the land of the dead, on the other side.

The fee for his service were two coins which were placed on the eyelids of the dead person or just one coin, which was put in the mouth of the dead as a Greek burial custom .

It was believed that those who had not received due burial and were unable to pay his fee, would be left to wander the earthly side of the river Acheron, haunting the upper world as ghosts, being also unable to reincarnate.

Some ancient Greeks believed that souls were made to drink from the river before being reincarnated, so they would not remember their past lives.

Other accounts taught the existence of another river, the Mnemosyne; those who drank from the Mnemosyne would remember everything.

More specifically, according to the Orfism, a Greek mystical religious movement, the newly dead who drank from the River Lethe would lose all memory of their past existence.

The initiated were taught to seek instead the river of memory, Mnemosyne, thus securing the end of the transmigration of the soul.

Besides, Mnemosyne was considered a minor oracular goddess. She presided over the underground oracle of Trophonios in Boiotia. Ancient Greeks sometimes worshipped Mnemosyne in the form of a spring, alluding to her profuse, flowing energy.

Before being brought to the oracle, initiates were taken to a place with two pools lying next to each other. They were instructed to first drink from the pool of Lethe, the Goddess of forgetfulness, in order that they might forget their previous lives. Then they were taken to the spring of Mnemosyne to drink so that they would remember all that they were about to learn from the oracle.

Finally, Mnemosyne can be related to Aletheia, the greek goddess of Truth, Remembering and the Unhidden. The Roman counterpart for this goddess is Veritas.

Aletheia (ἀλήθεια) is a Greek word variously translated as “unclosedness”, “unconcealedness”, “disclosure” or “truth”. Contained within the etymology of the word Aletheia is “lethe” meaning “forgetfulness”, “oblivion” and also applicable to one of the five rivers of the Underworld in Hades, as it was previously said.

The german philosopher, Martin Heidegger in his book “Time and Being” drew out an understanding of the term as ‘unconcealedness’. According to him, aletheia is distinct from conceptions of truth understood as statements which accurately describe a state of affairs (correspondence), or statements which fit properly into a system taken as a whole (coherence).

Instead, Heidegger focused on the elucidation of how the “world” is disclosed, or opened up, in which things are made intelligible for human beings in the first place, as part of a holistically structured background of meaning.

The basis of these reasonings were previous statements which relate the ability to apprehend Ideas through a sort of process of intuitive memory.

In Plato’s Dialogues, learning appears as a process of remembering, assuming that the soul, before its incarnation in the body, was in the realm of the “Forms”. There, the soul saw the Essences-Forms or Ideas, rather than the pale shadows or copies we merely experience on earth. Hence, when we identify an object, we are just remembering the Idea or Form which remains as an incorruptible and eternal essence behind and at the same time beyond the particular object.

(0) Moneta. In Roman mythology,Moneta was a title given to two separate goddesses: the goddess of memory (identified with the Greek goddess Mnemosyne) and an epithet of Juno/Hera, called Juno Moneta. Moneta is also a central figure in John Keats‘ poem “The Fall of Hyperion: A Dream”. (See Excerp below)

‘Is Saturn’s; I Moneta, left supreme ‘Sole priestess of this desolation.’ I had no words to answer, for my tongue, Useless, could find about its roofed home No syllable of a fit majesty To make rejoinder to Moneta‘s mourn.

(1)Mnemosyne, Goddess of Memory. Socrates: “Let us, then, say that this is the gift of Mnemosyne (Memory), the mother of the Mousai (Muses), and that whenever we wish to remember anything we see or hear or think of in our own minds, we hold this wax under the perceptions and thoughts and imprint them upon it, just as we make impressions from seal rings; and whatever is imprinted we remember and know as long as its image lasts, but whatever is rubbed out or cannot be imprinted we forget and do not know”. Plato, Theaetetus 191c (trans. Fowler).-

(2) Mnemosyne, inventor of Words. “Of the female Titanes they say that Mnemosyne discovered the uses of the power of reason, and that she gave a designation to every object about us by means of the names which we use to express whatever we would and to hold conversation one with another; though there are those who attribute these discoveries to Hermes. And to this goddess is also attributed the power to call things to memory and to remembrance (mneme) which men possess, and it is this power which gave her the name she received”. Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 5. 67. 3 (trans. Oldfather) (C1st B.C.).-

(3) Mnemosyne and Zeus, parents of the nine Muses. “And again, he [Zeus, after lying with Demeter] loved Mnemosyne with the beautiful hair: and of her the nine gold-crowned Moisai (Muses) were born”. Hesiod, Theogony 915 ff (trans. Evelyn-White) (C8th or C7th B.C.)

(4) Mnemosyne, a river which flowed parallel to the river of Lethe. “He [Aithalides, son of Hermes, gifted with unfailing memory] has long since been lost in the inexorable waters of the Acheron, yet even so, Lethe (Forgetfulness) has not overwhelmed his soul [ie unlike the other dead he remembers his past lives and retains his memory in the underworld]”. Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 1. 642 ff (trans. Rieu) (Greek epic C3rd B.C.).-

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►Gallery: “Mnemosyne, Goddess of Memory ”:

God Hypnos, Bronze sculpture found at Perugia in 1915. British Museum.

“Charon, the ferryman”. Illustration.

“Dante’s Inferno: Etching” by Gustave Doré

Mnemosyne by Johann Theodor de Bry. 16th century.

“ River Lethe” by Lizzy Schule.

The goddess Mnemosyne places her hand on the back of a man’s head, symbolically aiding his memory. Mosaic. C2nd – C3rd AD. Imperial Roman Period.

This part of the post on Mnemosyne consists of a collaboration with two talented canadian women. Resa McConaghy and Christy Birmingham.I was initially invited to join Resa and Christy in order to work in something together. Resa is an artist and costume designer and Christy a freelancer writer and poet.I was delighted to be part of the project which figuratively unites a continent from North to South, or viceversa. And, nor less than having a Greek Goddess as pretext!.Resa created a beautiful gown based on Mnemosyne whilst Christy wrote a poem following the same implicit prompt.So, without further ado… I am leaving you with these two Northern Stars, and their respective contributions…

Resa has created a mesmerizing gown inspired in Mnemosyne. She chose red and white for the dress and added some beautiful details such as golden traces representing Mnemosyne’s daughters, the Nine Muses. I also liked the way she introduced the iconic two masks, depicting Comedy and Tragedy.

Mnemosyne was the patroness of poets, and she played a very important role when it comes to preserve the Oral tradition. So I think this detail speaks out loud in that sense.

Resa tells us more about this gown in her post on Goddess Mnemosyne, which you will be able to find on her blogArt Gowns.

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Christy has written a beautiful poetic ode to Mnemosyne. The title is so clever, I like the fact that she has chosen a gerund and that Mnemosyne, the Goddess of Memory is being remembered.

The first stanza delves into the temporal dialectic of memories (second and third verses), alluding to Mnemosyne´s daughters and developing that idea in the second stanza, in which Zeus is also mentioned as the father of the Muses.

The third stanza entails a great twist as it places Mnemosyne´s influence among us, hic et nunc (here and now). Christy highlights how Mnemosyne is being acknowledged in the collaboration that beckons her spirit to birth again.

She is one with memory,
Closer to the past than the present,
With a future that pops forth nine muses who
Walk with mythically-lined toes full of
Musicality, poetic verse, and
Laughter for miles.
~~~
The talented Muses are born as
Presents to the mind –
They are gifts from Zeus and Mnemosyne,
Whose passionate harvest spread over evenings that
Would later inspire three creative women afar.
~~~
Her magical wonder ignites poetic words that
Mix with design and descriptions into a
Collaboration that beckons her spirit to birth again,
This time with dialogue, syllables and an exquisiteRed fabric that cloaks us all in comfort.

Hi there dear Maria… Rossetti was a genius, no doubts about it…. there are many paintings by him corresponding to greek mythological subjects … You were truly lucky to see “Mnemosyne” by yourself…
Thanks so much for dropping by!. I much appreciate your words. All the best to you!, Aquileana 😀

I can not thank you enough for your words… I try to do my best with posts, but there are always untoward factors… In this particular case, I almost couldn’t find enough images, for instance… So I try to make the written part longer, thus I could finally add images corresponding to those new details, so to speak… anyway, I am glad you enjoyed the post… Thank you very much dear Charles… Sending you all my best wishes!. Aquileana 😀

Sweet friend! What a glorious moment this is! Seeing our three pieces (Resa, you, and I) fall into place is… magical! Shining stars unite 🙂 I think your descriptions here and images are extraordinary, Aqui! They complement the poem and Resa’s gown perfectly. Thank you for taking such care with the post and publishing it here with my work included. Many Hugs!

Hi there dear Christy….
I was so happy to do this collaboration… well, being more precise… I am still happy…
You are right regarding how the three pieces finally fell into place… as if they were destined to be part of something bigger somehow, involving more persons, a collective creation: that´s it.-…
The ending result was superb and I thank you deeply for being part of it.
Sending hugs back at you, love and best wishes… Aquileana ⭐

Ah, Aquileana, what a wonderful company of extra talented women!!!!! Cheers to all 3! Amazing post on Mneomosyne, Aquileana. Christy, I just love your poem and Resa… you already know how exceptionally beautiful I think your Art Gown is! Cheers to you girls and your talents! 🙂 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dear Marina,
Thanks a lot for your beautiful comment!. 🙂 I am pleased to know that you liked the post… and I know Christy and Resa will be happy and grateful to read your words here too…
Sending you love and all my best wishes!. Happy weekend. Aquileana ⭐

Reblogged this on Poetic Parfait and commented:
Joy fills me as I announce to you the official publication of the collaboration between talented costume designer Resa McConaghy, mythologicy guru Aquileana, and I.

For the project, I wrote a new poem called “Remembering Mnemosyne” and you can will find it in the post I am reblogging here from Aquileana’s site. The project theme is “Mnemosyne,” the goddess of memory.

What a glorious experience! Resa’s gown is stunning and Aquileana’s words are influential. I hope you enjoy the finished collaboration as much as we enjoyed creating it!

I’m in an emotional frenzy!
What an honor it is to be part of this collaboration. I’ve wanted to design an Art Gown for a Goddess since I began reading LADA.
Besides all of the wonders of Greek Mythology & the spiritual movements of poetry, both Aquileana & Christy have shown me the joys of sharing and collaborating in our beautiful blog world. I remember the excitement I felt when Christy asked if I would write a guest post about women’s voting rights for her blog “When Women Inspire”.
Both Aquileana & Christy are very relevant bloggers whom I admire & respect, greatly, and well, now that I’m here, together with both of them …. well I’m in a emotional frenzy!. Love, Resa.

Hi there dear Resa,
Thanks so much for the words here and above all for having invited us to do this post.. It was a challenge, at least for me … because I had never done a collaboration with two other bloggers… it all flowed naturally and the ending result was awesome… I am glad that we found inspiration in each other and I admire you, too (the feeling is reciprocal)
I am very grateful, dear Resa… Sending hugs and best wishes… Happy weekend to you. Aquileana ⭐

This is such a well done and informative work of art. I totally agree with this comment mentioned above, “three talented, creative and intelligent women ” have created such an educational work of art. The history is fascinating and Mnemosyne would most likely have been classified as a genius in today’s world. The gown and masks are beautiful and I can imagine Mnemosyne wearing this. I thank you all for such and informative and superbly done work of art.

Hi there, dear Gene,
Thanks so much for Your words…. They are very appreciated, my friend… I am glad to know that you liked Resa’s gown and could not agree more with your insights on it… Also, I am pleased to know that you enjoyed the informative section here…. I hope that your weekend is off to a nice start… Sending all my best wishes. Aquileana 🌟

What a great post! Thank-you so much for all the information on Mnemosyne – such a lot of detailed research! I also loved the poem by Christy and the dress design by Resa. Fabulous! Love and best wishes dear Aquileana from Clare x

Hi dear Mani!,
Thanks a lot for your words as they mean a lot to me… I am glad to know that you enjoyed the post and liked Christy´s poem and Resa´s gown… they are so talented, those two canadians 😉 All the best to you!, Aquileana 😀

Hi there dear Carrie… thanks so muh for your comment… I much appreciate your words… and I am glad to know that you were able to figure out which was the reason behind the old tradition involving on the eyelids of the deads… Charon , the ferryman of the dead, indeed.
I have also liked Christy´s debut book very much… the way the poems are divided according sections is certainly catching and turns the poetry book to a sort of brief poetic novel, so to speak…
Sending love and best wishes. Aquileana 😀

It is always so interesting the depth with which you go into Greek mythology. I love the theory of the souls drinking the water to forget their past lives. I thought I knew about Greek myths as I used to be obsessed with them as a child, based on the Robert Graves book, but I realise reading your blog that my knowledge was very limited.

Dear Caroline… thanks so much for bringing that point to the spotlight… Plato himself mentions the river Lethe when he speaks of the Inmortality of the soul and the transmigration of souls, I think he does in his Dialogue “Phaedo” but also -more briefly- in “Republic”.. The metaphor of drinking from one river to forget our past life might sound like quite a relief… Forget and start over, you know… 😉
I am checking out your posts in a while… see you on your blog… Have an excellent weekend. Love, Aquileana 😀

Hi dear Eva!… Thank you very much for your thoughtful words… I´d be proud to be Greek too if I were you… or If I were Greek!…
I have checked out your newest blog and its amazing and I am looking forward to dropping by again, of course…
Sending love and best wishes. Aquileana 😀

Of course! It’s my pleasure, Aquileana. 🙂 With your love of Greek Mythology and passion of creatively sharing it, I’d say you’re “Greek” at heart. 😉 Lol! Thank you so much. It’s been a lot of hard work, but it’s worth it because I’m dedicated to making a positive impact on people’s lives (no matter how small).

Aquileana, you are so gifted at bringing out the details of these myths and making them even more interesting. Resa’s costume was a fun addition, and it was lovely to see Christy’s poem featured. Such a lovely post overall. Huge hugs all ’round.

Hi there dear Teagan… Thanks so much for such a great comment, coming from you it means a lot… I know in advance that Christy and Resa will appreciate your words as much as I do… Sending you hugs and all my best wishes!. Aquileana 😀

Hello dear Jan… I am glad to know that you enjoyed this collaboration and also that you were able to unravel the mystery behind the two coins on the eyelids of the deads… It was all a tradition related to Charon, indeed…
All the best to you!, Aquileana 😀

Ah, she’s the one who makes memories so sweet, then.
The lovely red gown would be approved by Mnemoxyne, as it flows as elegantly and freely as thought. (Staged extremely well,too. That takes skill.) Love the beautiful swirling back – as memories are always looking backwards – it too holds significance.
“This time with dialogue, syllables and an exquisite
Red fabric that cloaks us all in comfort.” Great lines. Perfect ending

Hi there dear Phil… Thanks so much for your feedback… I know that Christy and Resa will be happy to read your words too…
I also liked Christy´s poem and the last stanza is so original… I am pleased to know that you enjoyed our collaboration…
Sending you love and all my best wishes!. Aquileana 😀

Dear Hyperion… as soon as I am done catching up with comments here, I will drop by your blog and search the word Mnemosyne among your archives…
Thanks so much for your visit and nice words… Sending you love and all my best wishes!. Aquileana 😀

I’m always glad to have you drop by, Aquileana 😀 I hope you find Mnemosyne and Moneta. I can give you the links if you don’t find them right away. I always enjoy your posts and look forward to catching up with you.

I hope that you enjoy those last days, beautiful friend… I saw some pics on Twitter and retweeted them , of course… Couldn´t do otherwise as they were gorgeous… Sending love and best wishes, dear Debbie. Aquileana 😀

my pleasure Aquileana; I don’t know where you find all the time it would take to research all this information that goes into each and every article you write! It must take days! A lot of hard work, that is for certain. and, yes, I ‘drool’ over that gown….

for a while, when I first started WP… I looked for you weekly.
Then the penny dropped.
Look forward to seeing what your next topic is about Acquileana! Wishing you a blessed/peaceful weekend as well. Debi

Drink to remember, drink to forget. The metaphor of memory as water, and more specifically a river, is fascinating. A fabulous collaboration between the three of you. Love that dress and hope it gets to be worn and shown off. Warmest wishes to you, Aquileana. –Julie

The metaphor certainly applies here… Drink to remember, Mnemosyne drink to forget, Lethe. Very well put …
Thank you very much dear Julie. We really appreciate your words. All the best to you!, Aquileana 💫✨🌟

Thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts, dear Michelle… We appreciate your words, and I am glad to know that you learned a bunch of new facts concerning Mnemosyne, my friend… Love and best wishes, Aquileana 😺✨

I’ve just come from Christy’s blog, it came up first in my reader. What a feast my darling, the three of you are so amazingly talented, what an absolute thrill too see this.. Thank you xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx from the bottom of my Scottish heart.

I loved this collaboration…so innovative…designing a gown for the goddess…a dream come true and Resa has done it beautifully. Christy’s poem is in sync with the beauty of the goddess! Thank you Aqui…you are awesome!

The one but last dialogue in Cesare Pavese’s book “Dialogues with Leuco” is a dialogue between Hesiod and Mnemosyne. Unfortunately, I don’t have an English translation of it to cite from here (I only have it in German). It is an interesting text.

Much Kudos,you three!Like “The Three Graces” or Charities,Aglaia,Thalia and Euphrosyne,you collaborated and brought elation to Gods and mortals.My Heart’s “Memory” will never forget it 🙂 All the best to you,my friend Aquileana 🙂

Thank you very much for such a beautiful comment, dear Doda. I like the analogy of the Three Charities… we are very humbled, my friend, we will never forget your words either… 🙂
Sending you all my best wishes. All the best to you! Aquileana 😀

Thank you very much dear Jacqui… I like the idea of those ‘mnemonic devices’ around the house… I used them when I was studying Laws, just little papers everywhere around in order to never forget. especially when we were getting closer to exams, of course. Sending love 💫, Aquileana 😀

So much creativity in one post. Resa’s gown design is stunningly beautiful. And Christy offers a marvelous poem to accompany the detailed background about the goddess, Mnemosyne. Aquileana, you have once again provided yet another sumptuous post concerning Greek Mythology. Magnificent.

Thank you very much for such kind words. I am sure that Christy and Resa will appreciate your comment as much as I do, my friend .
I am very glad to know that you liked the feature on Mnemosyne… Sending you all my best wishes!. Aquileana 😀

Thanks for such a beautifully penned comment, dear Anna… I think you are right when you highlight the link between certain mythological characters and the Carnival… Interesting, my friend.
Sending you love and all my best wishes!. Aquileana 😀

Trust that lecherous and egoistical Zeus to sleep with Mnemosyne for nine nights just so that his exploits could be remembered in the future. I do hope Mnemosyne was also knowledgeable about forgetting painful memories 🙂

Hi there, dear Malcolm… I was particularly caught by that detail… As if the number of nights were directly related to the number of sons-daughters….
Greek Mythology could be full of allegorical characteristics… but in this case it seems the literary interpretation wins…
Thanks a lot for dropping by and for your comment!. All the best to you!, Aquileana 😀

What a formidable team you three make, you are all very talented and I feel very informed as I always do when I come here. You always make me feel undereducated in a good way, you give me the desire to explore!

Thanks a lot for your words, dear Ste… I am huMbled as I truly admire what you do on your blog… BTW, Your post on Rousseau was thought- provoking and such a great reading. 🙂
All the best to you!, Aquileana 😀

I don’t do a lot on my blog, just read, think and put it all down in a hopefully coherent way (unlike my notes usually). Rousseau was one of those authors that I like to challenge myself with and separate myself from other book bloggers. Your insanely high view rate is well deserved my friend, people can see your obvious talent. I’m hoping to get close to the 75,000 view mark this year for my site, which has been going for four years, I’m clearly not in your league hehe.

Well, despite what you say I consider you an amazing blogger and admire your work… I have been adding some widgets for blogs I truly enjoy and I will be adding yours soon too…
Have an excellent weekend, my friend. Aquileana ⭐️

I found this tidbit fascinating because of the parallels with Christianity and purification rites. It all leads back to the Greeks, but then doesn’t just about everything in western civilization?
“In chant XXXI of Dante’s “Divina Commedia”, at the very top of Purgatory, Dante is dipped into the River Lethe, which will cause amnesia. The chant of Asperges me (purge me) accompanies his immersion, and he then forgets his past sins and his atonement for them is complete.”

Thank you very much dear Inese… I am really pleased to know that you liked the post…
I hope that you had a beautiful Valentine’s day, my friend… mine was very nice …
Sending you love and all my best wishes!. Aquileana 😀

A truly wonderful post, Aquileana. Not only have you brought Mnemosyne to life with your incredible detail, but have treated us to the beautiful works of two incredibly talented people. Resa’s stunning red and white gown and Christy’s beautiful ode to Mnemosyne really complement your information about this fascinating character. I particulary loved the way you highlighted the four main aspects about her, as this helped me to remember them more clearly (You obviously took Mnemosyne’s role as Goddess of Memory to heart. 🙂 ) Thank you for a an exceptionally interesting and informative post.

Hi there dear Millie… Thanks a lot for your words… I am sure that Resa and Christy will appreciate your comment as well…
I am pleased to know that you enjoyed the post and that the way I presented Mnemosyne´s features was helpful to you in order in order to recognize her main attributes. Wishing you a great thursday ahead. 🙂 All the best to you!, Aquileana 😀

Love the name Eris, I have an obsession with Greek, Latin and Roman names. Hence my son’s name. But Eris, I have managed to slip into my book. Named a mountainous region after them in the area where the bad guys come from as I knew it meant discord and war and well…. thats what bad guys like! Awesome post, so rich and thought provoking. Also, that dress! WOW, stunning. ❤

Hi there dear Sacha… I am delighted to have you here among my commenters….
Yes, Eris was a minor goddess who despite that played an important role in the Judgement of Paris, in which Prince Paris of Troy had to choose the most beautiful Goddess among Aphrodite, Athena and Hera.
The story begins at the Wedding of Peleus and Thetis to which all of the gods were invited, all except Eris, the goddess of discord. When she appeared at the festivities, she was turned away, and in her anger cast a golden apple amongst the assembled goddesses addressed “To the Fairest.” Three goddesses laid claim to the apple–Aphrodite, Hera and Athena. Zeus was asked to mediate and he commanded Hermes to lead the three goddesses to Paris of Troy to decide the issue.
Paris finally chose Aphrodite, and gave her a golden apple labelled for teh fairset — Aphrodite gave her Helen of Troy in exchange for his favours… But Helen was married to Menelaus… Prince Paris abducted her and this was the crucial event that led up to the Trojan War…
Thus… at the end, Eris caused all this trouble and the war could have been avoided if she hadn´t showed up with that golden apple…
with that being said… Thanks so much for dropping by and sharing your insights.-…
Sending love and best wishes. Aquileana 😀

What an awesome story. I had no idea that was the story behind Eris. I will have to do more research now and look up more history behind it. Thank you for telling me 😀 It has given me some context for my mountainous region! 😀 ❤

This is a brilliant post to start a Sunday with Aquileana ~ especially so since Mnemosyne, in addition to being remembered with this post of yours, introduces her to people like me who knew nothing about her…and as a Goddess, she is timeless. The mother of the Muses, those nine young, beautiful maidens who seem to be the key for all the creativity – I for one cannot live life without such inspiration 🙂 and you’ve chosen the perfect artists to collaborate with:

The gowns that Resa has created are incredible, both for Mnemosyne as well as the Muses…and it comes together perfectly with the words of Christy ~ adding to the legacy, memory and putting it all in the here & now to enjoy. Incredible post 🙂

This was one of your best posts in collaboration with Christy and Resa. I’ve never heard of Mneumosyne before and I found it inspiring that this female Titan was associated with rote memory and writing. She also left a legacy with her daughters, the Muses, for creating the arts. I found it particularly fascinating that some of the ancient Greeks believed that souls were made to drink from the river also called Mnemosyne in the Underworld before being reincarnated, so they would not remember their past lives. This was such a wonderful post that celebrated the best in humans.

I love the poem from Christy and the beautiful gowns by Resa. Thank you so much for sharing all of this with us. Have a beautiful week!

Thanks so much for your thorough and well put comment dear Linnea… I think you have provided a great summary of the myth…
A little detail, though …
When you say
`I found it fascinating that some of the ancient Greeks believed that souls were made to drink from the river also called Mnemosyne in the Underworld before being reincarnated, so they would not remember their past lives´.
They would not remember their past lives if they were made to drink from the river called `Lethe´ … Hence… they would remember their past lives if they have drunk from the river Mnemosyne …
I am sending you all my best wishes. Have a great wednesday. Aquileana 😀

Thanks, Aquileana, for bringing this to my attention that everyone who drank from the river of Mneumosyne in the Underworld could remember their past lives. I corrected this on my reblog of your post. Have a fabulous week!

Reblogged this on Apollo's Raven and commented:
This is a reblog of one of my favorite posts by Aquileana in collaboration with Christy Birmingham and Resa McConaghh: Greek Mythology: “Mnemosyne”

Discover the mythology of Mneumosyne, a female Titan associated with rote memory and writing. She also left a legacy with her daughters, the Muses, who are associated with the arts. It particularly fascinating that some of the ancient Greeks believed that souls were made to drink from the river also called Mnemosyne in the Underworld before being reincarnated, so they would not remember their past lives. This mythology celebrates the creativity of the human soul.

Dear Linnea… Thank you very much for reblogging and for the introductory words … I truly appreciate your support and I am glad to know that we share similar interests concerning mythology …. Sending you all my best wishes!. Love. Aquileana 😀

Reblogged this on Being Southern Somewhere Else and commented:
A charming and particularly salient piece about the guardian of memory and the mother of language. She is The House of the Moon, the sanctuary of every writer and storyteller, to which our souls seek to return always.

What talents seen here from beautiful artists. Congrats To Resa and Christy for their art, and to Amalia for her research. It’s amazing how these myths used Nature and deities to convey the notions of ‘memory’. Phrases like “social amnesia” now exist to denote that amnesia can also be ‘collective’. I also found ‘damnatio memoriae’, a Latin phrase meaning “condemnation of memory” in the sense that a person must not be remembered (from the ancient Roman state). Science, specifically neurology, seem to take away the charm of these myths, yet I prefer them because of their beauty and affinity with Nature.

Hello there dear María…
I am very glad to know that you enjoyed the post and I am sure that Resa and Christy will apprecite your words as much as I do.
Your insights concerning “social amnesia” and “condemnation of memory” are highly interesting… I couldn´t avoid linking the idea of “social amnesia” to certain deniers of Holocaust and the Armenian genocide…
I don´t know if this is a correct projection though…. Correct me if I am wrong…
Sending love and best wishes. Aquileana 😀

Thanks so much for the feedback and for sharing your insights. You are quite right when you mention how we might be destined somehow to repeat all that is unacceptable.
Many recent cases of genocide are a sad example of your previous statements… Sigh. I am now thinking of another Greek Goddess who could be related to all this, i.e Nemesis —-
Sending hugs, Aquileana 😀

Fascinating info here on Mnemosyne. I knew very little about her until reading this post. As always, your thoroughness is appreciated. Also, it’s great to see Christy’s familiar face here as well as find a new blogger to me in Resa.

Hi there, dear Jeri…. Thank you very much for your comment-…. I truly appreciate your words and I am really glad to know that you enjoyed the feature on Mnemosyne…
Sending you all my best wishes!. Love. Aquileana 😀

Mnemosyne is the goddess for me! I am so ignorant, I didn’t even know there were female titans. And the mother of the nine muses, now that is also a great goddess for a writer and artist. I love this post. I feel inspired. XOXO

Hi there dear Brenda… thanks so much for the comment …
There were female titans indeed… They were 12 in total…
I hope you are doing well, my friend… I will be by your blog soon… Hugs and best wishes. Aquileana 😀

My very big compliments and thanks to the three artists who created this wonderful lecture for all of us. I can now see the goddess of time Mnemosyne = the House of Moon in these beautiful gowns! I think it is still a problem nowadays if people are not given, maybe not for a money question, a decent burial. Relatives or the ghosts of the dead may not find peace and haunt the upper world! I will come back and read more in your wonderful post. All the best to you all.:):):) Martina

Hi there dear Martina, as always you leave such beautiful comments… thanks for highlighting the relationship between the name Mnemosyne and the Moon… as you may know, Selene was the greek goddess of the Moon and sometimes Artemis, the Goddess of Hunting, was also related to the Moon…. I think I should have written that on the post, now that you mention it.
Your comment is much appreciated… see you soon on your blog, my friend… Love and best wishes. Aquileana ⭐️

I knew nothing about Mnemosyne your research is just brilliant and to be returned to. I love 💕 your collaborations so important for artists and very well done in this blog. All of my best wishes as always Charlotte 🌸💕

As always…just delightful. I do not believe I had heard of Mnemosyne. And when I tried to find out how to say her name, I couldn’t!! And when I tried to enlarge the chart of gods and goddess, I couldn’t! Loved the collaboration with other artists. Interesting to know the “mother of the muses” and just how that occured…that Zeus really got around, eh? I think it would be cool to be a Greek god.

Hi there dear Badfish… Thank you very much for your words concerning the collaboration… I am glad to know that you enjoyed it…
Oh… yes I know… I thought of the chart size, but there was no way to make it larger here as technically the sizes are 500×500… Anyhow, I hope you could read the names… Maybe you can make it bigger with Paint Brush or Monkey Pic, or any other editor online…
As to how to spell it… I have a trick… Go to Google Translator and type the word Mnemosyne in the left side, language English and then click on the button placed below on the left… It is a microphone and-if your speakers are on- you´ll get to hear the word loud and clear… ha 😀
I hope it helps, my friend…
Sending love and best wishes. Aquileana ⭐

What a beautiful combination of poetry, art and Greek mythology. I always learn so much when I stop by and this post is no exception. I loved reading about the maidens and al the history, the beautiful poem – all of it. I also like to read Heidegger and your excerpts remind me that I want to read more of his stuff.
Abrazos fuertes –
CC

A successful collaboration! Art, poetry, design and Greek mythology! I always knew that I will learn when I visit your blog. Mnemosyne is now my favorite goddess! Kudos to all three of you for your project!

I’m always amazed at your depth of knowledge, Aquileana, I didn’t know the lovely lady at all and yet she seems to have had a great area of responsibility. Her name is so evocative, I could become a fan. 🙂 Happy times to you!
I love that piece of artwork in Christy’s section too. 🙂

Thanks so much for the nice feedback dear Jo… I am so pleased to know that you enjoyed this collaboration and learnt a bunch of new things concerning Mnemosyne… I thank you also on Christy´s behalf for your words regarding her poem… All the best to you. Aquileana 😀

Late as usual … there’s that studly Zeus doing his thing again! … But to me, awesome collaboration with Resa and Christy … Cheers to two good ladies of the north collaborating with the lady of the south. Well done!

Hi Frank, Thanks so much for your valuable feedback… It is Great to read your words and I am very happy gala to know that you enjoyed our feature on Mnemosyne…. Sending love for your weekend ahead. Aquileana 😊

Such a wonderful post Aquileana and I had missed out reading it, Mnemosyne the goddess of time and this description of yours “The Muses were nine young, beautiful maidens who became the representatives of poetry, the arts, the sciences and sources of inspiration….” says it all. The Muses are depiction of music, art, comedy, poetry and stories…it covers the enter spectrum of emotions and feelings that keep engaged and excited.
The first philosopher and the power of reasoning…these two words sums up all.

Deeply loaded with some fascinating facets of life, philosophy and the evolution of life and the world.
Have a lovely Sunday…
take care!!!
😀

Thanks a lot for your comment.. I appreciate it, dear Nihar… Needless to say that I am truly grateful for your words… you provided a great summary of Mnemosyne´s main attributes, including the relationship between her and Time -as an abstract entity or quality-words, Philosophy and Memory…. Sending love and best wishes, Aquileana 😀

Hi Nihar… Sorry for the delay… I almost lost your comment, my dear… As to your question, I usually work several days on the draft of each post… It takes day, you are right… Most times I write the informative section and then try to search images alongside it… I use programs such as Pic Monkey and Luna Pic to edit images…. That´s basically how I deal with it….
Sending love and best wishes. Aquileana … 😀

Hi Aquileana…not at all I can understand with so much of reply you have to make. Yes it is so much visible in every of your posts. It indeed requires intense and extensive search and research the kind of topic you cover and so much in detail. The art of your’s lies in beautifully combining the diversity of thoughts on focused topic that you have chosen.
Yes getting the right set of images is another challenge and without the balance of appropriate pictures the words limit the communication of our thought.
By the Aquileana you have so much traffic and such great community, you must have thought of converting into an online business venture? Did you ever given a serious thought in this direction.
You too lots of love and bliss…we all need that peace of mind and piece of unbridled joy.
take care!!!
😀

Hi Nihar…. thanks for your comment back to me… You totally caught the spirit of the tasks behind the post, so to speak…
I much enjoy your posts… they are always, clever and thought-provoking…
I bought the domain Aquileana a few years ago because I didn{t want anyone else to do so in my place, you know … but didn’t seriously consider to move the blog… I might do it if I believed I could earn a good amount of money… which I doubt it is the case, regardless of the amount of visits.
Anyhow, you leave me thinking… I will ask my brother what he thinks…
Sending love and wishing you a great weekend ahead. Aquileana ⭐

Another brilliant article Aquileana. I’m always amazed how much knowledge you have and how much we all readers learn from you. This post really caught my attention as soon as I read the first line itself, “goddess of Memory and the inventor of Words.” Looks like us writers should really know more about her considering she’s the goddess of words… Hope she’ll give her blessings to all the writers around the word 🙂

BTW, I’ve nominated you for the 3 Day Quotes Challenge. Please feel free to turn this down if you don’t have enough time… Here’s my post: http://heenarathorep.com/2016/02/28/quotes-challenge-3/
I’m looking forward to reading some amazing and magical Greek mythological quotes from you… Hope you’ll participate 🙂

Hi there dear Heena…. I agree with you… Writers and thinkers should keep her more in mind, being the goddess of Words and Memory… You are quite right…. As to the challenge, I will bookmark it… I usually post this sort of thing, even when I might do it weeks… or months… later… I will, though, and I think that it´s ll what matters at the end … right.?…
Thanks so much for your great comment and for the nomination … Sending love and best wishes. Aquileana 😉

Lovely collaboration dear Aquileana.. And such a wonderful Goddess I had not heard of before..
I hope all is well with you and I so thank you for your recent visit.. it was so nice to see you..
Sending you Lots of Love and Big Hugs your way xxx ❤

Beautiful post! As always, I love reading your posts, because I love mythology, I live and conspire mythology, so it feels like I am attending an event special for me.
I already had the privilege of experiencing the glorious design of Resa (and her other inspiring outlets I adore), the dress is damn gorgeous!
Thank you for introducing me to Christy, I look forward to discovering her writing!
Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Hi dear Oloriel… It is such a pleasure to read your feedback… thanks so much for reading and I am very glad to know that you liked the collaboration…
Wishing you a great weekend …. Love and all the best to you. Aquileana ⭐

Chiming in late here. This is such a delightfully informative collaboration. What the three if you impart and help to clarify in you understandable communication style, is both admired and appreciated. I spent time this past September in/on many Greek cities/islands as well as a visit to Ephesus. I wish I had read more of your blog posts prior to visiting; the history and its relevance would have been that much clearer. Thank you for creating time to educate and illuminate we of far less knowledge.

Thanks a lot for such words, dear Eric… I am grateful to read your comment and glad to know that you consider my content relevant. I truly hope I could visit Greece and Italy one day . Sending you all my best wishes!. Aquileana 😀

What a beautiful and well done collaboration. Such talented and intelligent women. Choosing Mnemosyne was simply perfect. Whether she was creating the Nine Muses, or creating words and memory, she is just a fascinating lady to embrace. Thank you so much for such a smart and beautifully done essay. Always such a delight to come for a visit to your website.

Hello there dear Johanna… thanks so much for such a thoughtful comment… I had barely heard of Mnemosyne until this post …. and I could not agree more with you… she is a very special Goddess, with many important attributes, so to speak…
I am very glad to know that you enjoyed the collaboration…Love and best wishes to you. Aquileana ⭐

When I was very young we had these books on Greek mythology which I found fascinating. I so wish I could remember the titles and I find it ironic that this post is on Mnemosyne, the Goddess of Memory. Anyway I really appreciate the genealogy as it helps to see the relationships among the Gods and Goddesses which enables me to get it straight in my mind.

The dress that Resa designed is fabulous and I’m going to read the background on its creation. Christy’s poem was equally beautiful. Thank you for this informative post.

Mnemosyne is not too well known… I had barely heard of her, until this post… It is hard to understand due her importance and the fact that she was the Muses´mother—
Thanks so much for dropping by. All the best to you!, Aquileana 😀

Thanks for so much insight into the history surrounding the goddess – from ancient mystery religions all the way through to Heidegger. Such a vast and impressive store of information, and always so entertaining to read, dear Aquileana 🙂

Thank you very much for such a nice comment, dear Sue… I am glad to know that you enjoyed the reading and found the post interesting… Also, Thanks on Resa’s behalf for your words concerning her gown… I Love it too!.
All the best to you… Happy week ahead. Aquileana 😺

Buongiorno Aquileana,
A wonderful collaborative post. The back story of Mnemosyne, the amazing dress and poem was a delight to read.
I need Mnemosyne help in retaining information! So much going on and too much to remember!!
Have a wonderful week.
ciao Luciana

`So much going on and too much to remember!´… so true… I couldn´t agree more with you cara Luciana….
Thank you very much for dropping by and for your comment…. I am really pleased to know that you liked this collaboration on the greek Goddess of Memory and mother of the Muses…
Un abbraccio per voi. Aquileana ⭐️.-

Reblogged this on Wyrdwend and commented:
Very little devotion is given to Mnemosyne anymore, unfortunately, and due primarily to the seemingly spectacular technological innovations of Hephaestus. Which have both clouded our memories and replaced them with technology with the apparent effect of making human memory obsolete. But that is a grave mistake, and a shortsighted view of both Man and Memory.

As a man who has both built his own Memory Palace and eventually a Memory City (Agapolis) I know well the literary, scientific, psychological, spiritual, and even the industrial and material benefits Memory brings to those who honor her.

It is also no accident she is the Mother of the Muses. For the Muses live most truly in the Minds and Souls of Men.

[…] took the form of animals aiming to sleep with his future lovers. For example, Zeus consorted with Mnemosyne in the form of a shepherd. Leda was seduced by Zeus in the form of swan. He even fell for a young […]

Wow..loved the poetry. Don’t remember all but thank you for sharing this information. At least now I know who goddess Mnemosyne was!!! 😊 Great post as always…I referred your blog to a friend and she really loved it dear!!! Happy weekend xx 😘

I just had my mind blown with this wonderful information about the Goddess of Philosophy. Why didn’t I stumble here when I was a young teen looking to read more about the Greek myths and life. Great work Aquileana… Just a question, what is the meaning of Aquileana?

Thanks a lot for dropping by and for your comment!… I am glad to know that you enjoyed the post…. Oh and Aquileana comes from Achilles (the Hero of the Trojan War), but the avatar is from Athena, the goddess of Reason & wisdom… So I guess It is a mix among these two characters, somehow… Sending love & best wishes. Aquileana 🙂

[…] Plato was a keen defender of Oral tradition, against writing. This is evident particularly in his dialogue “Phaedrus”, in which Socrates (by retelling an Egyptian myth), states that Writing will produce forgetfulness in the minds of those who learn to use it, because they will not practice their memory. […]

[…] Cerberus to sleep by playing soothing music; Hermes did the same but used water from the river Lethe. The most famous of all, however, was Heracles, who did not use such subtle methods. Driven mad by […]